I'm all done....(remaining) chickens for sale...

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Now is not the time to quit, it is the time to figure out how to protect your chickens. I felt the same way my grand daughter went to feed her chickens and found them all dead. A bear had gotten them. Later that day she was to take her silkie hen to the fair as her 4H entry. This hen was the one that put up the big fight, for her feathers were from one end of the run to the other. As I started to tear the coop down ny grand daughter started yelling what are you doing, where am I going to put the chickens. So I went out and got an electric fence, which for the most part has kept the bears out. I still lose a few per year to eagles and bob cats. The battle is all worth it when the seven year old brings a friend over to she them HER chickens. So you have lost some chickens to hawks, so you have to give them something to hid under. Plant some bushes or shurbs or place some shade netting where they can give under it when the hawk comes around. Don't let them get the best of you. Build you daughter a tree house so she can watch the chickens.
 
Oh man. Sorry Joe. What's with the hawks over there?
I have yet to lose a single bird to a predator.

I have plenty of extra mixed Leghorn hens you can have if
you want to give it one more try with no expense. If your
commited to getting rid of the birds I'll take and add them to my
flock. I've also got a bunch of Leghorn cross roos. You can have
a few of them. They may help protect the flock and if not they
will make good alternate targets. Birds are a flock animal for a
reason.

You busted your butt on that coop. Think it over for a while.
 
i too am sorry for your losses!
chickens are so great - it's really sad that you're having to throw in the towel but i understand you don't want to keep seeing them get picked off by hawks.
:aww

hang in there and keep yur chin up!
 
Hi Don,

Not sure what I'm going to do.....don't want to lose anymore chickens....

If I were starting all over I'd put my coop on the west side of my house in the woods where it would have more natural cover....trouble is that side gets very little sun as our house casts a shadow until very late in the afternoon and I was concerned it would be extra cold for them this time of the year. As it is now the coop is on the east side and gets sun
first thing in the morning but is shaded by a large oak tree by noon during the summer months. However the pen right now is rather open....I put our christmas tree out there for now and had plans to add additional plantings in the spring. I ran all the mason's line with the hopes it would deter the hawks for now despite the fact that it's an eyesore. My coop is high enough off the ground so that the chickens can hide under it as well.

I guess it would be easier to make the pen more secure if I made if smaller but I had envisioned having 10-16 birds at a time and I was concerned that if I made it too small they would chew it down to dirt. I thought that by making it as large as possible grass, plants, etc. would be spread out enough to survive the birds.

I guess right now the only thing I can do is to try and run some deer netting over the top of the pen. I have one partial roll in my shed. It would be a temporary fix at best and make it uglier than ever but not as ugly as finding one of my birds ripped open...
somad.gif


Thanks for the offer of additional birds....let me work on things over the weekend. The one Buff I have left is the roo which is good. The RIRs never really blended with the Buffs and they were always chased to the farther reaches of the pen which is why I think the hawks alway took them. I'm just aggravated because I'm going through all of this and I've yet to get any eggs. I'm pretty sure the reds will start laying next month sometime. I have to do some more research.....

Thanks folks......

Last night I was in a pretty sour mood....


Quote:
 
I just saw this post
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I hope you hang in there Joe. I'm sorry for your loss, and i can understand how you must want to save the others from this too. you have a great set up and your birds are lucky to be so loved. I hope you will keep your birds. you just need to try a new system to cover your birds run. You have come so far with all you have done.....the lines you have already run across the top will be a great support for anything you can find to go over that. Good Luck whatever you choose to do.
 
Hi Joe,
I read your post last night and felt terrible. I'm glad to see you're feeling like you might reconsider today. I don't live far from you and I have hawks too. My buff roo really does a great job warning the girls and getting them inside in time. Is your rooster as young as your hens? If he is he might need some time to grow into the job. Your coop is so nice, if you cover the run it won't look great but you can figure out something better in the spring. Good Luck
smile.png
 
Joe,
What about making a smaller run area using some of the exsisting run you have and covering that with the deer netting-oh wait, I just read that you are considering that. I have 8 chickens in a 6x10 run (free range nightly) and they are very comfortable. I have lost one to a hawk while free ranging in three years. Otherwise, I never worry about them during the day in the covered run.

I hate to see you give it up since it is so rewarding! You can even get a small dow kennel and attach it and cover the top--as long as you shut away at night. You could probably get a used one for $50 or so, people are always getting rid of them!

Youa re welcome to my blue andalusians at no charge too---the two fo them are actively laying.

Here is my pen:

House019.jpg


Let me know if I an help in anyway!
 
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